Grantham College carpentry student Matthew Annan (in black shirt) has been chosen as one of 350 aspiring young athletes, coaches and officials from across the country to be given the unique opportunity to take part in an inspiring four day residential experience later this month by Boccia England.

The Youth Sport Trust National Talent Camp 2014 is a major event and is being held at Loughborough University from 19-22 December where Matthew will take on the role.

Boccia is a paralympic sport introduced in 1984 in which athletes throw, kick or use a ramp to propel a ball on to the court with the aim of getting closest to a ‘jack’ ball. It is designed specifically for athletes with a disability affecting locomotor function and played indoors on a court similar in size to a badminton one.

Matthew has been selected following on from a nomination by Boccia England due to his talent and potential as a Boccia official and exceptional commitment in supporting Boccia and the developments of his officiating qualities.

Matthew has been playing with Boccia England for four years and really enjoys both the playing and refereeing aspects of the sport which always challenges him.

Boccia was first started for people with Cerebral Palsy, which Matthew has a mild version of, but is now played by people with a wide variety of disabilities. Matthew started playing at school and worked his way up very quickly to National level and plays for his local club in Sleaford.

As well as enjoying playing the sport Matthew has progressed into refereeing with his first experience being at a regional competition in Nottingham earlier this year for Boccia England where he volunteered as a referee.

This experience made Matthew realise he wanted to progress with the refereeing side of the sport so he took his regional qualification in November but through his attendance at the National Talent Camp and further training and experience he is hoping to get his National Officiating qualifications.

Mary Johnson of Boccia England said: “Matthew`s energy, enthusiasm and dedication to Boccia is outstanding and he is a great role model for both players and referees.”

During the camp, later this month, Matthew will have the opportunity to participate in active and practical role focused workshops, learn from likeminded young athletes, coaches and officials from across the country all of whom have the aim of being the best.

Matthew said: “I’m really honoured to have been selected to attend the Youth Sport Trust National Camp at Loughborough University and the prospects of meeting other talented athletes, coaches and officials, and developing my abilities as an official excites me.

Local councils have been awarded £200,000 to further joint efforts in tackling fraud.

The money from the Department for Communities and Local Government will be used to create the Lincolnshire Counter Fraud Partnership, bringing together experts from around the county to establish a joint fraud-fighting force.

Working closely together, the team will build upon the councils’ counter fraud successes by sharing intelligence, investigative resource, and best practice.

Coun Marc Jones, Executive Member for Finance and Property, said: “The county council takes a zero tolerance approach to fraud and has a proven track record of recouping lost money.

“We’ve recovered over £1m in recent years – money that can be ploughed back into frontline services.

“And by joining forces with other local councils, we can make sure that we reduce fraud to an absolute minimum, protecting the public purse.”

GRANTHAM COLLEGE

FOLLOWING a successful launch last year, Long Bennington-based Blue Castle is looking to collect as many Christmas cards as possible to raise as much money for its chosen charities.

Having started this idea last year with a good level of success, collecting more than a tonne of Christmas cards they are hoping to grow and be able to donate more than ever.

This year we are continuing to support Inspire+ and Beaumond House with the fantastic work they do in the local area.

With its inhouse expertise of waste and recycling, we are able to collect in recyclable material and by working with specialist recycling facilities, split Christmas cards into their raw recyclable components, these then have some value.

It is this rebate for the material that we will pass directly to the two charities. The more cards they collect the more they will be able to donate.

They would also like local businesses/ organisations who feel they can, to act as a collection point.

Blue Castle drivers will then come and collect the cards from them in January.

Collection points will be set up in the week building up to Christmas and are currently planned for Beaumond House premises, schools across the county who Inspire+ work.